Jewish Holidays

It is a common custom to have special milchig meals in honor Shavuos; thus, I am sharing with you an article on the halachic issue of gevinas akum.

Pesach has Matza, the Seder, the four cups of wine, "Ma Nishtana.…" Succot has the Four Species and the Succah. Shavuot, however, has no single identifying Mitzvah, no recognizable landmark in its scenery. Why?

For over a half-century, around the time of Yom Yerushalayim and soon before Shavuot, we get to read Parashat Bamidbar. Let us take a look at the connection between Yerushalayim and the desert.

What does Jerusalem Day have to do with the war against Amalek on the way to Eretz Yisrael? And how does that teach us that Hasem's hand is behind all that happens to us?

It sounds complicated to declare new holidays, but it's actually not at all. Similarly to allow haircuts and music during the Omer also is simple. Just declaring Hallel with a bracha is more complicated, but an historic return to the forgotten background of the "6 Day War" helps clarify that, as well.

The Western Wall looks simply like a big and menacing block of rocks. One must look with penetrating eyes to sense what it really expresses: the longing of dozens of generations, the prayers of our forefathers and foremothers, and the joy of all those who commemorated their happy occasions there over the course of centuries.

This Shabbat, we find ourselves between two staggering events: the tragedy at Har Meron last Friday, and Yom Yerushalayim this Sunday night and Monday. Two mountains, steeped in Jewish history, associated with the most significant personalities and pathos: Avraham, Yitzchak and Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.

Every year, more and more myriads of people stream to the gravesite of the author of the Kabbalah, Rav Shimon bar Yochai, in the Galilee hilltop village of Meron – signaling mounting anticipation of the Redemption itself!

All traditions do agree though, that on the 33rd day of the count of the Omer these disciples of Rabbi Akiva did stop dying. It is interesting that we have a semi-holiday, nbecause somehow the evil decree allowed by heaven to end so many lives, such as it was, would not continue.